I immigrated to the bay area in 2003; in 2017, I suffered with homelessness along with approximately 8,000 citizens of San Francisco. I would not have been able to persevere through these tough times without the help of caring individuals within the community and my loving family.

Increasingly, it seems like every proposal at City Hall is meant to silence neighborhood voices and turn our neighborhoods over to the highest bidder. Meanwhile, struggling small businesses get little to no help from City Hall.

Vallie Brown’s life story might make an interesting screenplay one day. From her humble roots in Utah to her artists’ collective in the Haight to being appointed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Brown’s path has been unique and eventful.